SMC to probe sinkhole outside civic HQ

Surat: Officials of the central zone of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) will investigate the cause of a sinkhole that appeared in front of its headquarters on Friday.The sinkhole, which developed near the entrance of the chief fire officer's office, quickly became a talking point in the city as it blocked movement and caused chaos in the area.SMC officials said the sinkhole may have formed due to disturbance in the soil structure following vibrations from metro tunnelling work. The cavity was promptly covered as several residential buildings are located close to the spot."No underground utility work was carried out at the location in the recent past. The sinkhole likely developed due to disturbance in the soil structure caused by tunnel vibrations," said Sujal Prajapati, executive engineer of the central zone. He added that a detailed inquiry would be conducted to ascertain the exact cause.However, metro authorities denied any link between the incident and their work. "The metro's underground work site is about 115 metres away from the sinkhole location. It did not occur due to metro construction," said Shivendu Sharma, general manager (underground).Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Women's day wishes, messages and quotes !